World Briefs

CHINA To keep his 40 employees indoors and away from China’s virus outbreak, the manager of an electronics factory in Dongguan, near Hong Kong, says he hired a cook and arranged dormitories for them. Cjtouch Electronic Co., is one of thousands of manufacturers trying to protect employees.

CHINA says a visit by its president, Xi Jinping, to Japan in April has been called off because both countries are focusing on combating the virus outbreak. The two countries both agree that “President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan must take place under the most appropriate timing, environment and atmosphere, and must be a complete success,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

JAPAN Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will impose a 14-day quarantine on all visitors from China and South Korea before they are allowed an entry permit. They will be sent to a government facility for the quarantine and will not be allowed to use public transportation, Abe said as officials stepped up their efforts against the spread of the virus.

AUSTRALIA has banned travel from South Korea and will more thoroughly screen travellers from Italy in a bid to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The travel ban from late yesterday follows similar bans on travel from China and Iran. Australian citizens and permanent residents are exempt from the ban. Those returning from Korea are asked to self-isolate for 14 days when they return home.

OPEC The oil-producing countries of the OPEC cartel are proposing a deep production cut of 1.5 million barrels per day to support prices that are sagging due to the spread of the coronavirus. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh (pictured) said at yesterday’s meeting in Vienna that the cut would be for the second quarter of this year, and would be “subject to the acceptance” of non-OPEC allies. Non-OPEC countries join the meeting today.

MIDEAST Iran says the new coronavirus has killed 107 people amid 3,513 confirmed cases across the Islamic Republic. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made the announcement yesterday. There are now over 3,150 cases of the virus across the Mideast. Of those outside Iran in the region, most link back to the Islamic Republic.

USA Facebook says it’s temporarily closing an office in Seattle after a worker was diagnosed with the new virus. “A contractor based in our Stadium East office has been diagnosed with the COVID-19,” the company said. “We’ve notified our employees and are following the advice of public health officials to prioritize everyone’s health and safety.”

HOLLYWOOD The release of the James Bond film “No Time To Die” has been pushed back several months because of global concerns about coronavirus. MGM, Universal and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced on Twitter that the film would be pushed back from its April release to November 2020.